Call-distributing telephone system.



H. P. CLAUSEN.

CALL DISTRIBUTING TELEPHONE SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 9, 191 5.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

HENRY P. CLAUSEN, F MOUNT VERNON, NEW TORK, AS SIGNOR T0 WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF NEW YORK,

N. Y., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

CALL-DISTRIBUTING TELEPHONE SYSTEM.

To all whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY P. CLAusEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Call- Distributing Telephone Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, andexact description.

This invention relates to telephone systems in which an incoming call is automatically extended to a free operators position. In systems of this type, signals are provided at the operators positions, the actuation of a lamp or other annunciator signal indicating that a call has been extended to the corresponding operators position upon the particular trunk designated by the signal; this signal however, does not notify the operator which subscriber is calling.

It is the object of this invention to provide a simple visual means'by which the operator will-be automatically informed of the calling subscribers number in order to obviate the necessity of making verbal inquiry of the calling subscriber and then verifying the information so received, when the calling line number is desired for toll or other purposes.

According to a feature of the present invention, line finder switches, which may be of any known design, are provided at each operators position to which a line of a ,certain group of subscribers lines can be extended. An indicator for displaying the designation of each of the subscribers lines is rotatable with each line finder switch. Upon the initiation of a call one of the line finder switches individual to a free operators position is caused to hunt for the calling line and as soon as this is reached, the line finder will be arrested and the number of the calling subscribers line displayed at the operators position.

The drawing represents one embodiment ofthis invention, only as much of the apparatus at the exchange being shown as is necessary for the understanding of the invention by one skilled in the art.

In the system herein illustrated the connection between the calling and called lines is established by means of a manual cord terminating .in plugs, though obviously other well known means may be provided. Subscriber A, by removing his receiver from Specification of Letters Patent.

. front contact 12 Patented Nov.23,1915.

Application filed February 9, 1915. Serial No. 7,014.

- ture closes'a circuit for relay from earth through armature 11 and front contact 12 of relay 1, winding of relay 10, conductor 13 and back contact 14 and contact spring 15 of relay 16 to grounded battery 17. Relays 1 and 10 being energized, relay 16 will be energized through a circuit which may be traced from grounded battery 17 through the winding of relay 16, conductor 18, front contact 19, and armature 20 of relay 10, and armature 11 of relay 1 to earth. Upon energization, relay 16 closes a locking circuit from grounded battery 17 through its winding, front contact 21. and armature 22, front contact 12 and armature 11 of relay 1 to earth.

The energization of relays 10 and 16 closes a circuit for stepping magnet from grounded battery 17 through contact spring 15 and outer armature 26 of relay 16, outer armature 27 and front contact 28 of relay 10, conductor 29, winding of magnet 25 and interrupter 30 to earth. Under the control of interrupter 30 stepping magnet 25 will cause the selector switch 31 to move its wipers 32, 33 and 34, step by step over conducting segments 35, 36 and 37 and a circular row of terminals 38, the wipers being moved one step upon each deenergization of the stepping magnet 20'. The selector switch 31 rotates in one direction only and has no normal position, z'. 6., it will be left in the position of its last use until taken into use again. Switches of this type are well known in the art, and as their special'construction is immaterial for the present invention, their further description does not seem necessary.

When relay 16 attracted its armatures the circuit of relay 10 was opened at back contact 14: of relay 16. Relay 10, however, is maintained energized during the rotation of switch 31 as long as the wipers of that switch travel over terminals 38 individual to busy trunks. If a particular trunk is busy, e. if plug is inserted in an answeringvjack in which the trunk terminates, relay 40 receives energizing current in the well known manner from battery 41, through armature 42 and front contact 43 of relay 44,

sleeve of the answering plug and jack, conductor 45 and winding of relay 40 to earth. Relay 40 closes a circuit from earth through its contact spring 46 and armature 47, conductor 48 and right-hand winding of relay 49 to grounded battery 50. Relay 49 is energize-(l and thereby a circuit is closed from groui'ided battery 51 through resistance 52, coil of relay 53, conductor 54, front contact 57, one of the terminals 38, wiper 32, 33 or 34 and conducting segment 36 of switch 31, conductor 58, contact spring 59 and back contact 60of relay 61. armature 62 and front contact 63 of relay 16, armature 64,. front contact 65 and coil of relay 10, and front contact 12 and armature 11 of relay 1 to earth. Thus, relay 10 will be maintained energized after the energization of relay 16 if the wipers of switch 31 travel over terminals 38 of busy trunks, the relays 49 provided individually 'for each trunk being energized. If a call is awaiting attention at an operatof-s position, relay is energized, in a manner to be hereinafter described, and a circuit is closed from earth throi-igh armatures 71 and front contacts 72 of relay 70,

left-hand winding of all relays 49, provided at the particular operators position, to grounded battery 50. One relay 70 is provided in common fora plurality of trunks at an operatorsposition and one relay 49 for each of said trunks.

As above described, when the operator inserts the answering plug into the answering jack, the energization of relay 49, individual to the selected trunk, will be controlled by relay 40, relay- 70 being det nergized at this time if no other-calls are awaiting attention. If the traveling wipers 32, 33 and 34 are resting upon or if not, as soon as they reach a set of terminals 0. g. 81, 82 and 83 individual to an idle trunk leading to an operators position, and not themselves engaged at their multiple terminal on other switches, relay 10 is .short-circuited, and by opening its front contact 28, breaks the energizing circuit of stepping magnet 25, whereby the selector switch 31 remains or is arrested with its wipers 32, 33 and 34 in contact with terminals 81, 82 and 83. This short-circuit can be traced from earth through armature 11 and front contact 12 of relay 1, winding, front contact 65 and armature 64 or relay 10, front contact .63 and armature 62 of relay 16, back contact 60 and contact spring 59 of relay 61, conductor 58, conducting segment 36, wiper 33 and terminal 83 of switch 31, conductor 57, armature 56 andback contact 84 of. relay 49, right-hand winding of relay 85 and back contact 86 and contact spring 6 of relay 40 to earth- R ay 1 being deenergi'zed, releases its armatures 20, 64' and a5 and armature 56.0f relay 49, conductor.

27 and closes thereby an energizing circuit for relay 61 from grounded battery 17, through contact spring 15 and outer armature 26 of relay 16 (which has been maintained energized through the above traced locking circuit), outer armature 27 and back contact 90 of relay 10, resistance 91, conductor 92, lower winding of relay 61, conductor 18, front contact 21 and armature 22 of relay 16, front contact 12 and armature 11 of relay 1 to earth and back to battery. Relay 61 attracts its armatures, but as its back contact 60 is opened only after its front contact has been made, 'a circuit is closed for relay 85 from grounded battery 17 through contact spring 15 and armature 26 of relay l6, armature 27 and back contact 90 of relay 10, resistance 91, back contact 93 and armature 64 ofrelay 10, front contact 63 and armature 62 of relay 16, back contact 60 and contact spring 59 of relay 61, conducting segment 36, wiper 33 and terminal 83 of switch 31, conductor 57, armature 56 and 1 back contact 84 of relay 49, right-hand winding of relay 85, back contact 86 and contact spring 46 of relay 40 to earth and back to battery. Relay 85 being energized, closes a circuit from grounded battery 94, through coil of relay 70 calling lamp 95, left-hand winding, front contact 96 and armature 97 of relay 85 and back contact 86 and contact spring 46 of relay 40 to earth and back to battery. Relay 85 locks itself through armature 97 and calling lamp 95 will be lighted and relay 7O energized. Upon the encrgization of relay 70 a circuit is closed for all the relays 49 provided at this operators position from ground through the armatures 71 and front contacts 72 of relay 70 and left-hand windings of relays 49 to grounded battery. A circuit is now completed from grounded battery 51 through resistance 52, starting relay 53, front contact 100 and armature 101 of relay 85, or front contact 55 and armature 56 of relay 49, conductor 57, terminal 83, wiper 33 and conducting segment 36 of switch 31, conductor 58, contact spring 102, armature 103 and upper windin of relay 61, conductor 104 and winding of cut-off relay 5 to earth. Relay 5 attracts its armatures 4 and 8, breaking thereby the circuit of relay 1, which in turn opens the locking circuit of relay 16. Starting relay 53 upon energization closes a circuit from earth through its armature 105 and front contact 106, conductor 107, magnet 108 and interrupter 109 to grounded battery 110,

Driving magnet 108 being intermittently energized and deenergized, advances wiper 113 of line finderswitch 112, individual to does not seem necessary. It will be apparent that other line finder switches, as for instance, panel-type, power-driven switches, may be used instead of the shown step by step line finder switch, without departing from the present invention. Each of the terminals114 is individual to a subscribers line belonging to a certain group. Terminal 116, for instance, is individual to the line of the calling subscriber A. A wheel 115 is secured to one end of the shaft'117, the wiper 113 being carried on the other end of this shaft. Upon the actuation of the driving magnet 108, wheel. 115 is rotated with the wiper 113. Each subscribers number is indicated by a number or other designation on wheel 115. The line'finder switches are located in the switchboard at the operators position in such a manner that the wheels 115 may display any number provided thereon through an opening before the operator. The operator is notified thereby of the number of the calling subscriber. Instead of placing the numbers upon the periphery of a wheel like 115, these numbers may he placed upon an endless ribbon of suflicient length for containing all of the numbers of the subscribers lines belonging to a certain group. Similar line finders are provided at each operators position to which the lines of a certain group of subscribers lines can be distributed, one line vfinder being provided for each trunk terminating at such position. The test conductors 118 are multipled to the terminals 116 of these line finder switches, and thereby if the calling subscriber A is connected to any operator of this group through any idle trunk, his number is displayed by means of the number wheel 115 in front of the operator. The stopping-of the line finder on the terminal individual to the calling subscriber is performed in the following manner. When the operator notices that the callinglamp 95 is lighted, she inserts an answering plug in the answering jack causing thereby the closure of circuits for relays 40 and 49, as it was described above when considering an attempted connection to an operators position through a. busy trunk. Upon the energization of relay 40, relay 85 is decnergized, extinguishing thereby lamp 95 and releasing the relay 70. Relay 70, upon decnergization, removes the earth from the left-hand winding of relay 49, but this relay is maintained energized through its right-hand winding. The operator, by inserting the plug into the answering jack, establishes also a talking circuit to subscriber A. The talking circuit is shown in heavy lines in the drawing, current being supplied thereto from battery in the operators cord circuit through the induction coil in the well known manner. By this time the wiper 113 contact of the line finder switch 112 has reached terminal 116 which is individual to the calling subscriber A. Relay 53 being short- 112 is maintained therefor with its-brush- 113 in contact with the terminal 116 and with the number (for instance 17) of the calling subscriber displayed in front of the operator. This short-circuit may be traced from front contact and armature 56 of relay 49, conductor 57, terminal 83, wiper 33 and conducting-segment 36 of switch 31, contact spring 59 and armature 119 of relay 61, conductor 118, terminal 116, wiper 113 of line finder 112, conductor 120, front contact 121, and armature 122 of relay 49,

coil of relay 53, conductor 54 and back to The line finder remains in its set position and can not be taken into use again as long as relay 53 is shunted z. 0., until the operator removes the plug'from the answering jack.

Having learned the'number of the desired subscriber, the operator establishes the connection with the desired line. When the. operator inserted the answering plug into the answering jack and the calling plug into the multiple jack of the desired subscriber, relays 44 were energized, and by attracting their armatures, prevented the lighting of supervisory lamps 123 in the well known manner. These relays 44 are maintained energized during the conversation. After the conversation is finished and the subscribers have hung up their receivers, relays 44 are deenergized and by releasing their armatures, allow the lighting of the lamps 123. The operator thereupon pulls out the plugs from the jacks opening thereby the circuit of relay 4O and lamps 123. Upon the definergization of relay .40, the earth is removed from relay 49, which by releasing its armature 56, breaks the circuit of relays 61 and 5 and removes the shunt from relay 53. All the relays being in normal condition, any other subscribers line can be extended through this trunk to this operators position. If, however, subscriber A would initiate a call before this operator has been taken into use again, his line would already be extended to the operators position and his number displayed in front ofthe operator, as both switch 31 and 112 remained in their advanced position. Relay 10 being short-circuited immediately after the energization of relay 16, no circuit will be closed for stepping magnet 25. In the same manner relay 53 will will not attract its armature 105 upon the energization of relay 49 because of its winding being immediately shunted.

What is claimed is:

1. Ina telephone exchange system, the combination with a group of lines, a plurality of connecting circuits, means for extending the circuits of said lines when calling to said connecting circuits, of a line finder indicator for each of said connecting circuits, and means jointly controlled by a calling line. and'the connecting circuit to which the circuit of said line is extended for adjusting the associated line finder indicator.

In a telephone exchange system, the combination with a group of lines, a plurality of operators positions and means for automatically extending the circuits of said lines when calling to idle ope 'ators positions, of a line indicator at each operators position, a line tinder for controlling each of said indicators, the line finders at the different operators" positions having multiple connected line terminals, and means jointly controlled by a calling line and the means for extending the circuit of said line to an operatons position for adjusting the line tinder at said operator's position.

3. In a call distributing telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines. a plurality of operators' positions, a plurality of trunks leading to 'each of said operators positions, means for extending a calling one of said lines to an operators position through an idle one of said trunks, a plurality of calling line indicators and a line tinder switch for each of said indicators to control the displaying of the designation of a calling line, said indicators and line tinder switches being in number equal to said trunks.

4'. In a call distributing telephone system, a plurality pt subscribers lilies. an operators position, means for extending a calling one of said subscribers lines to said operators position, a line finder switch at said operators position, an indicator connected therewith for displaying the designation of said calling line, said line finder switch and indicator being left in their actuated positions until taken into use again.

5. In a call distributing telephone system,

a pluralityof subscribers lines, an operators position, means at said operators position for establishing a connection between said position and a calling one of said subscribers lines, means for displaying the designation of a calling line at said operators position independently of the establishment of said connection and means for preventing the actuation of said second mentioned means until said.operator severs said connection.

6. In a call distributing telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines, an operators position, a plug and jack at said operators position for establishing aconnection with a calling one of said subscribers lines. a line finder switch at the operatons 7. In a'call distributing telephone system,

a plurality of subscribers lines, a plurality of operators positions. means for extending any one of said lines on which a call has been initiated to one of said operators positions, means at each of said operators positions for displaying the designation of the calling line, and means controllable through another one of said subscribers' lines for moving said two first mentioned means from their previously operated positions.

8. In a call distributin telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines. a plurality of operators positions. a plurality of trunks for each of said positions, a relay individual to each trunk, another relay coinmon to said plurality of trunks and means at each of said operators positions for displaying the designation of a calling line under the joint control of said relays.

I). In a call distributing telephone system, a plurality of subscribers lines. a plurality of operators positions, a plurality of trunks through which any one of said lines on which a call has been initiated may be extended to an operators position, a relay provided for each of said trunks, another relay provided in common for said plurality of trunks, means at each of said operators positions for displaying the designation of a calling line under the joint control of said relays, and another relay for each trunk, the condition of said last mentioned relay determining whether the designation of a calling line should be displayed at, or the call removed from an operators position.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe llny name this 8th day of February A. 1).,

HENRY P. CLAUSENJ Witnesses E. Emanz, K. L. STAIIL. 

